Pesto Mozzarella Caprese Burger
An Italian-inspired burger featuring basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and balsamic glaze.
- Prep
- 12min
- Cook
- 10min
- Total
- 22min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 800per serving, est.
By Time for Burgers, updated
Fresh mozzarella doesn't melt like a sliced deli cheese. It slumps and softens rather than turning glossy, and it gives off milky liquid as it warms. Lay it on in the last minute with a lid over the pan, just long enough to soften.
With so few toppings, the tomatoes matter most. Use ripe, in-season ones, or halved cherry tomatoes when the big slicing tomatoes are pale and mealy. Pesto goes on both halves of the ciabatta, balsamic glaze over the tomatoes, and whole basil leaves last.
Pesto Mozzarella Caprese Burger
Prep 12 min, cook 10 min, total 22 min. About 800 calories per serving.
timeforburgers.com/recipes/pesto-mozzarella-caprese-burger
Serves 4.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Season ground beef with salt and pepper, then form into 4 equal patties.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes per side until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a patty reads 160°F (71°C). Add fresh mozzarella slices in the last minute and let melt.
Toast ciabatta buns until golden and slightly crispy.
Assemble burgers: spread ¼ cup basil pesto on both bun halves, place beef patties with melted mozzarella on bottom buns, top with tomato slices and fresh basil leaves, drizzle with 2 tbsp balsamic glaze, then crown with top buns.
Tips
- Pat the mozzarella and tomato slices with paper towels before assembling. Both are wet enough to soak the ciabatta otherwise.
- Toast the ciabatta until the cut sides are crisp. A dry, toasted crumb holds pesto and tomato juice without going soggy.
- Use balsamic glaze, not vinegar. Thin vinegar runs straight off the tomatoes and into the bun; the glaze clings.
- 85/15 beef is leaner than most burger blends. Pull the patties right at 160°F (71°C) so they stay juicy.
Substitutions
- Burrata instead of mozzarella: tear it over the hot patty just before serving rather than melting it.
- Nut allergies: many jarred pestos contain pine nuts or cashews, so check the label or buy a nut-free version.
- Vegetarian: a grilled portobello cap in place of the beef patty, with the same toppings.
- Ground turkey instead of beef: mix 15 ml pesto into the meat to keep it moist, and cook to 165°F (74°C).
Make ahead & storage
Cooked patties keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge; reheat in a skillet to 165°F (74°C), then add fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil. Slice the tomatoes only when you assemble, since cut tomatoes turn mealy in the fridge.
